O2 Media Awards back for fifth year

Yorkshire and the Humber will celebrate quality, new media and originality in regional journalism

The O2 Media Awards for Yorkshire and the Humber are underway for 2013.

Now in their fifth year the ‘Oscars’ of regional journalism are a celebration of the media’s work across print, television, radio and on line organisations.

This year’s awards promise to be more competitive than ever – with new categories celebrating the diversity and originality of the regional press.

As in previous years there is no entry fee for journalists to enter the O2 awards. Winners will be announced at a glittering awards and presentation evening on  5^th September, 2013.

Deadline for entries is May 21, 2013, with work published or broadcast between June 1, 2012 and May 1, 2013 eligible for the individual and team categories.

An additional award for New Media will celebrate fresh and exciting initiatives to communicate with local communities or new audiences. O2 has also introduced an additional Weekly Newspaper of the Year category solely at free distribution titles.

The Specialist Publication of the Year category, aimed at producers of niche publications and supplements, returns for a second year.

The Emerging Talent Award, aimed at recognizing the skills of up and coming student journalists is also back. The O2 ETAs have the support of ITV and BBC, the Press Association and leading newspaper publishers.

A total of 16 categories will recognise the most talented and creative people in the media industry from young journalists starting out on their careers through to those who, in the opinion of their peers, have made an outstanding contribution to the industry.

Judges are made up of experts from the media and include working journalists, editors and publishers.

Categories range from Reporter of the Year, TV Journalist of the Year, Photographer of the Year, Radio Journalist of the Year and Editorial Team of the Year. Previous winners have included BBC Look North, The Yorkshire Post, Hull Daily Mail, BBC Radio Sheffield and the Rotherham Advertiser.

The Yorkshire and the Humber O2 Media Awards are part of a series of regional media contests across the North.  Yorkshire is O2’s largest site in the UK with more than 2,400 people at its Arlington Business Centre in Leeds.

Nicola Green, head of Communications and Reputation at O2 UK, said she was looking forward to another successful award event and celebrating the fantastic work of regional journalists in their communities:

“Last year’s awards evening was uplifting and emotional and typified all that was good about regional journalism. We saw some worthy winners and looked back on a memorable year of newsgathering across local communities spanning the length and breadth of the UK’s biggest region. We are excitedly looking ahead to another fabulous year which celebrates new media, quality and the best examples of regional journalism.”

Journalists will be able to enter the following categories:

• Feature Writer of the Year
• Sports Journalist of the Year
• Photographer of the Year
• Young Journalist of the Year
• TV Broadcast Journalist of the Year
• Radio Broadcaster of the Year
• News Reporter of the Year
• Business Journalist of the Year
• Scoop of the Year
• Editorial Team of the Year
• Emerging Talent Awards
• New Media Award
• Specialist Publication of the Year
• Weekly Newspaper of the Year
• Daily Newspaper of the Year
• Outstanding Contribution Award

Entry forms are available by contacting Rossiter Media on 01829 741371 or by e-mail request to O2mediaawards@rossitermedia.co.uk

ENDS

For more information, contact

O2 Press Office contacts

t +44 (0)1753565656

e: pressoffice@o2.com

All O2 news releases can be accessed at our website: www.o2.co.uk/news